In Pictures: London's East End Markets In The 1970s And 80s

By Will Noble

Last Updated 04 November 2024

Will Noble In Pictures: London's East End Markets In The 1970s And 80s

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People sifting through clothes out of the back of a truck — Grimsby Street, 1982

"I was drawn to the Sunday market by the people, by the contrast between the energy they created and the run-down state of the place, and by the spontaneous and highly visual 'street theatre' on display," says photographer Paul Trevor.

A stack of old TVs — Cheshire Street, 1974

Paul — who has previously published books of his images of East Enders up close, and east London in the 1970s and 80s — is back with some fresh produce, in the form of Market Day.

A market trader poses with a goat — Granby Street, 1975

The book hones in on scenes from London's many East End Markets — including Middlesex Street, Columbia Road, Cheshire Street and Whitechapel High Street — between 1974 and 1992.

People at a market posing with cutouts of the late Queen and Queen Mother — Middlesex Street, 1986

Not an artisan sourdough loaf in sight here — just boxy 19-inch TV sets, prams stuffed with suitcases, and a coffin going cheap. ("Try it for size!")

A trader with a pram stuffed full of suitcases and a TV — Cheshire Street, 1981

Mind you, there are at least a couple of similarities between the East End markets of then and now: for one thing, Colombia Road is still doing a roaring trade in flowers. Secondly, the appetite for pre-loved togs lives on (although these days you'll fork out a darned sight more for that secondhand Adidas shell suit).

A topless guy carrying flowers — Columbia Road, 1984

Says Paul about the markets he captured back in the day: "Like theatre, the show was repeated every week, but the performance was never the same. You never knew what to expect, which is probably why I persisted with it for so long!"

A crowd of people sifting through clothes — Cheshire Street, 1975

You can learn more about Paul Trevor on his website. In recent years, his work has been displayed at public exhibitions in London and further afield. We'd love to see Market Day given the same treatment.

A busy market street — Cheshire Street, 1976

A gaggle of elderly ladies — Whitechapel High Street, 1977

Two people playing musical instruments — Cheshire Street, 1977

Men smoking cigarettes and talking — Chilton Street, 1977

A young boy sitting next to a coffin for slae — Bacon Street, 1974

An elderly man standing amid a jumble of clothes — Cheshire Street, 1978

An overturned market cart — Brick Lane, 1978

Market Day by Paul Trevor, published by Hoxton Mini Press

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